A 22-year-old Delhi man, identified as Ritesh Pandey, was arrested by the Bengaluru Police on Saturday in connection with a video targeting former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Following his arrest in the national capital, Pandey was transported to Bengaluru, where he underwent questioning by the Cyber Crime Wing of the city’s Central Crime Branch (CCB). While he was subsequently granted bail by a metropolitan magistrate court, the judicial relief remains conditional upon his continued cooperation with the ongoing investigation.
The case, which centers on the circulation of an alleged sting operation on platforms such as YouTube and X, has triggered a broader probe into the origin and dissemination of the content. According to police officials familiar with the development, Pandey provided statements to investigators claiming he uploaded the footage under the explicit direction of a person associated with the Janata Dal (Secular) social media team. The CCB is currently working to identify this individual to determine the extent of their involvement in the recording, distribution, and overall orchestration of the video.
Siddaramaiah, the complainant in the case, has publicly dismissed the footage as a complete fabrication designed for the purpose of blackmail. Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Friday, the former Chief Minister emphasized that he approached law enforcement to ensure the facts are established and the truth is brought to light. He noted that he has also secured a stay order from a civil court to prevent the further spread of the controversial material across digital platforms.
“This is a case of blackmail. It needs to be uncovered who is behind this. I filed the complaint because I know this is a complete fabrication,” Siddaramaiah said. He further remarked that during his tenure as Chief Minister, which spanned eight years, he had not faced similar attempts of extortion. He maintained that he currently holds no official authority, framing the attempt as a politically motivated attack.
The investigation has widened as authorities continue to analyze electronic devices and technical materials seized from the accused, including a second-hand mobile phone believed to have been utilized to upload the content. Officers are also actively tracing how the video proliferated across other social media channels, including Facebook. To date, the CCB has issued notices to several other individuals suspected of playing a role in uploading or sharing the footage, some of whom have reportedly become untraceable.
The incident has also prompted speculation regarding potential internal complications. Siddaramaiah’s son, minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah, has publicly commented on the nature of the footage, noting that the woman featured in the video appears to be a Congress worker. His remarks have added a layer of complexity to the ongoing investigation, as authorities look into whether the incident involved broader political intrigue. As the legal process continues, the CCB remains focused on identifying all parties involved in the creation and circulation of the alleged sting operation.
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